Clarifications in advance: Germans do not buy at first sight

The study by Greven Medien shows that German consumers take various steps before consulting a service provider or making a purchase decision: The ranking is topped by customer reviews (66.6 percent), closely followed by the provider's company website (57.9 percent). "Customers enquire about the provider's quality and service promise before making their decision and also have this information confirmed by the opinions of existing customers," emphasizes Patrick Hünemohr, Managing Director of Greven Medien. "Retailers - especially small and medium-sized businesses - should respond to the change in consumer behavior with a local marketing strategy and rely on measures such as a structured company website combined with active recommendation marketing."

Customer contacts between Facebook and the store

While websites and customer reviews play a major role, customers are of course still interested in direct contact with the company. More than a third contact the company or retailer directly before making a decision (34.5%). "Our study shows that digitalization is far from replacing personal contact. Rather, it offers opportunities to expand communication channels with customers," Hünemohr is certain. While service and advice in-store or over the phone are in demand, companies can also offer their customers a communication channel via social networks such as Facebook - one in ten people (11.3%) also visit these before making a consumer decision. "Nowadays, companies have a wide range of opportunities to respond to their customers and get in touch with them - above all, they can use this contact for their own feedback," says Hünemohr.

Focus all measures on one goal with a 360-degree approach

The change in consumer behavior requires companies to develop sophisticated digital marketing strategies. Greven Medien has already highlighted the relevance of recommendation marketing and the company website in previous studies: For example, a third of all respondents in this study stated that reviews and opinion reports in online portals strongly to very strongly influence their decision. In addition, 90 percent (90.7 percent) of respondents in a GfK survey conducted by Greven Medien in 2015 attached great importance to a company's online presence. At least a third (34.4 percent) of customers switch to the competition if they cannot find the information they are looking for online.[2] "Companies that operate locally in particular should take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital marketing measures, as over 40 percent of all mobile searches now have a local connection," explains Hünemohr. "The company website, reviews or presence in social networks should be closely interlinked with entries in business directories such as the Yellow Pages or Das Örtliche and mobile measures such as location-based advertising in the form of location-based services."